SHWTD + Subliminal Colors Double CD is a bundle comprising of Mendel’s latest EP Shaking Hands With The Devil and their debut full-length Subliminal Colors, and since we’ve covered neither of these, I’ll take the opportunity to talk about both at once!

Subliminal Colors put things straight for us listeners: Mendel is about neoclassical shred with some djent and metalcore influences. In short, they’re an instrumental version of The Human Abstract, Digital Veil-era. Their first album is huge! It’s one hour thirteen of unstoppable musical carnage, with a 25 minute epic piece to end it all! What a trip! While their newer EP Shaking Hands With The Devil is a lot shorter: around 20 minutes, it is still carved from the same stone, and you wouldn’t refuse a second plate of dessert, would you?

What’s even more impressive is that it’s all one man’s job, the name: Mendel Bij De Leij, from Holland. The story does not say if the drums are programmed, however, but holy shit! I would never have thought that this all came from one and only person. This guy is a genius, and a virtuoso.

In the end, if you like Bach or classical music in general, and would like to hear some great metal with classical influences, I beg you to check out Mendel and to get all his CDs! They’re up for free, but if you want to support him, give any amount you’d like!